A traveling troubadour in the truest sense, Danny Burns draws on his Irish heritage, and innate appreciation of authentic Americana, and far-flung folk for his utterly affecting new album, Southern Sky. Sounds and stories find common ground courtesy of rich, robust arrangements which effectively allow each song to resonate through its own dynamic. It’s a reflection of the esteem Burns maintains within the bluegrass fold that he was able to enlist an all-star ensemble to facilitate his efforts, with Vince Gill, Tim O’Brien, Sam Bush, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, Dan Tyminski, Billy Contreras, Justin Moses, Ethan Burkhardt, Cody Kilby, and Ricky Skaggs among the players and participants.
The collective skill that’s demonstrated overall is reflected in each of these offerings, but the real credit has to go to Burns himself for the way he ties together his various influences, from a mix of bluegrass and Appalachian to a combination of folk and Celtic styles. Burns’ reverence for his roots is evident in the synthesis of sounds, all of it filtered through his own personal perspective.
At the same time, there’s nothing redundant about the results. The effortlessly engaging Blue Ridge Blue, the tangled tapestry of Does My Ring Burn Your Finger, and the rugged and resilient, Keep Your Distance, are each an obvious expression of his drive and desire. So too, the title track, Brother Wind, Who You Know, Good Things Happen (When You’re Around), and The Love You Bring share sincerity, sentiment, and reflection through yearning and desire.
To their credit, all involved convey their skills courtesy of articulate instrumentation and melodies that are tuneful, tasteful, and effortlessly affecting all at the same time. Southern Sky finds Burns building on his recent successes, the result of which is a set of songs that demand repeated listens time and time again. In that regard, Burns can be truly credited as a bluegrass artist for the ages.
